Wembley Arena has hosted legends, and after tonight, Pierce The Veil have earned their place among them.
Words by Felix Bartlett, photos by Aaron Heather (@aaronheather_photo) | Sep 24, 2025
There’s something beautifully surreal about watching a generation of emo kids (now fully-fledged adults with mortgages and responsibilities) alongside the new gen lose their absolute minds to the opening chords of a song that soundtracked their teenage heartbreak. Tonight at Wembley Arena, Pierce The Veil’s “I Can’t Hear You World Tour” feels less like a concert and more like a mass emotional reckoning, a collective exhale from a fanbase that’s waited seven long years for this moment.
But first, the groundwork. Hot Mulligan kick things off with their characteristic blend of Midwest emo earnestness and pop-punk energy, though they’re unfortunately shafted with the dreaded 6pm slot that leaves them performing to a disappointingly thin crowd. It feels almost criminal – these Michigan natives are riding high on fresh material that absolutely kills in the intimate setting, their devoted early arrivals singing every word with the kind of passion that suggests bigger stages await. For those present, it’s a banger of a show that sets the tone for what’s to become an evening of unrelenting emotional catharsis.
Cavetown arrives to shift the energy entirely, and suddenly those Coldplay comparisons make perfect sense. There’s an undeniable warmth that radiates from the stage as gentle melodies weave through the arena, bringing a moment of unity that feels like a communal hug. The soft indie-folk interludes provide a welcome breather in what promises to be a heavy, emo-drenched evening. One that increasingly feels like it belongs at a high school prom circa 2005, though admittedly with not as good a production as the Fall Out Boy video. When Vic Fuentes makes his guest appearance during Cavetown’s set, the crowd erupts in recognition, a preview of the hysteria to come.
Then comes the moment everyone’s been waiting for. As the lights dim and Pierce The Veil take the stage, Vic’s voice cuts through the darkness: “Holy shit, are we at Wembley?” It’s a question that feels both rhetorical and revelatory. This is a band that’s clawed their way from San Diego clubs to one of London’s most prestigious venues, and the weight of that journey hangs in the air like incense.
The San Diego crew opens with an unexpected curveball “El Rey,” the Vicente Fernández classic that pays homage to their Mexican-American heritage before launching into the crushing “Death of an Executioner.” It’s a bold choice that immediately signals this won’t be a predictable evening.
The production definitely felt like Pierce The Veil’s most ambitious to date, albeit it with slightly less bells and whistles than the Busted vs McFly tour that graced the stage only a couple of nights before. The visuals and graphics added a nice touch, brining the glaring lyrics across the screens delivering feast for the eyes. As for the setlist, well if it’s about as epic as you would expect spanning all five albums as promised, creating a monument to nearly two decades of evolution. From early gems like “Bulls in the Bronx” and “Yeah Boy and Doll Face” through to newer anthems like “Pass the Nirvana” and “Emergency Contact,” each era gets its due reverence. There’s even room for a stunning cover of Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” that slots seamlessly into their canon.
Yet there’s something fascinatingly complex about tonight’s crowd dynamics. The generational divide is palpable. Long-time fans like me who’ve followed Pierce The Veil since their tours with Bring Me The Horizon find themselves sharing space with a newer, younger audience drawn in by TikTok virality.
This new demographic brings with it the inevitable sea of phones flooding the crowd. Disappointing to some, perhaps, but undeniably reflective of how Pierce The Veil have become the next viral sensation. If TikTok trends brought them to Wembley, then it’s a small price to pay for witnessing this band finally receive the recognition they deserve. The flipside is more curious: gone are the mosh pits that once defined post-hardcore shows. The Gen Z audience seems content to experience the music differently, creating an interesting cultural shift that speaks to how both the genre and its fanbase have evolved.
But anyway enough of that, back to the setlist! They truly save the best for last. After returning for a powerful encore featuring “Disasterology” and the emotional gut-punch of “Hold On Till May,” the opening chords of “King for a Day” ring out and Wembley Arena loses its collective mind. The TikTok viral sensation that reintroduced Pierce The Veil to a new generation becomes the perfect crescendo to an evening that bridged past and present. As thousands of voices unite for every word, it’s impossible not to feel the significance of this moment. The song that brought them back to relevance becoming the triumphant finale to their biggest UK show to date.
As the crowd disperses into the London night, phones still glowing with videos, there’s a sense that something significant has occurred. Pierce The Veil at Wembley Arena feels like a generational handoff, and a triumphant declaration that some bands are worth the wait. After nearly two decades of building, tonight felt like arrival.
Wembley Arena has hosted legends, and after tonight, Pierce The Veil have earned their place among them.
Leave a Reply